The Book of Psalms

Psalm 6

Psalm VI · Vol. II, p. 991

1 David's complaint in his sickness. 8 By faith he triumpheth over his enemies.

Margin referencesNotes ↓

To the chief musician on Neginoth ^aupon Sheminith, A psalm of David.

1 O LORD,^b rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy ^chot displeasure.

a Or, upon the eighth, 1 Ch.15.21. Ps.12. title.

b Ps.38.1. Je.10.24. He.12.6. Re.3.19. Is.54.8,9; 27.8,9. 2 Sa.7.14.

c Ps.2.5.

2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD ; for I am weak:^d O LORD, ^eheal me; for ^fmy bones are vexed.¹

d Ps.38.8; 88.4.

e Ho.6.1. Job5.18,19. Ex.15.26.

f Job 33.19. Ps.38.2-8; 51.8.

1 The writer was in deep distress. There was sorrow on his heart, and his body was wasted with disease or suffering. His very bones were pained. The word 'vexed' is now applied almost exclusively to mental distress; in former times it had a wider range of meaning, and was applied to any kind of suffering, mental or bodily.—P.

3 My ^gsoul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?

g Ps.22.14; 42.4,5; 77.2-9. Mat.26.38.

4 Return, O LORD, ^hdeliver my soul: oh save me ⁱfor thy mercies' sake.

h Is.38.17. Ps.40.1-3; 116.1-7; 86.13,15.

i Ep.2.7,8.

5 For^j in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

j Ps.30.9; 88.11; 115.17. Is.38.18.

6 I^k am weary with my groaning; all the ^lnight² make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.

k Ps.77.2-9; 88.1-18. La.1.16; 2.11,18,19; 3.48-50.

l Job 7.3.

2 Or, every night.

7 Mineⁿ eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.

n Ps.31.9; 38.10. Job 17.7. La.2.11; 5.17.

8 Depart^o from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath ^pheard the voice of my weeping.

o Ps.4.2,4; 119.115; 139.19. Lu.13.27.

p Ps.145.18; 31.22; 40.1,2. Da.9.21-23.

9 The^q LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.³

q Ps.66.19; 116.1; 55.16; 56.13; 118.5; 120.1; 34.4,6.

3 If not with the eye of sense, yet with the ever-brightening eye of faith and hope, the psalmist sees his ultimate triumph. 'The Lord hath heard,' and in his own time he will answer.—P.

10 Let^r all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed:⁴ let them return and be ashamed suddenly.

r Ps.7.6; 9.3; 28.4; 35.26; 40.14,15; 109.29; 56.9; 17.13.

4 See note on Ps.5.10.—C.

Notes

Ver. 1. Rebuke me. There is here but one speaker, and that he is Christ will appear from the quotation of ver. 8 in Mat. 7. 23. Let the candid and pious student of Scripture also consult He. 5. 7. C.

Ver. 5. These words are literal facts; God is not remembered by the dead—the dead bodies that lie in the grave, which very death and grave Christ came to conquer and destroy, He. 13. 14; 1 Co. 15. 57. C.

Ver. 7. There is great graphic power, and at the same time deep pathos, in this verse. The eye wasted away—its fire, and brightness, and beauty extinguished by continuous weeping. Dimness as of age creeping over it. All this arising from the unceasing persecutions of his enemies. P.

Reflections.—Not even kings are exempted from the common miseries of life! But it is hard to support under sore sickness and a wounded spirit at once: and yet God's dearest saints have often the largest shares of them. There is no relief under such a burden but to cast it on God. And when our sins have been great so must be our sorrow. The removal of the sense of God's displeasure must be more earnestly desired, than abatement of or relief from our sufferings. And if God ever regard us, it is neither for our righteousness, nor for our sorrows or sufferings, but for his mercy in Christ. However desirable it is to be with Christ in heaven, saints are to wish for life, while it is for the glory of God and the good of his church. But quickly they who sow in tears shall reap in joy. And if God answer one prayer, he will answer all that follow in faith. He is the same Hearer of prayer yesterday, to-day, and for ever. But close fellowship with God really draws the saints from delight in or intimacy with the wicked: and quick and inevitable ruin awaits their impenitent injurers.